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Dana (24 KP) rated This Savage Song (Monsters of Verity, #1) in Books
Mar 23, 2018
This is my first book in the 10 Books in 10 Days Challenge presented by Epic Reads.
This book has such an interesting concept in the way it takes the standard Good vs Evil and blurs the lines completely. There are the standard "monsters" and "humans" but it gets hard to tell who is actually at fault in the war that is brewing in the book.
I loved the characters in this book. If I were to rate the book on characters alone, I would have given it a five star review, but alas, I did not. I really enjoyed how August and Kate were both trying to be something they weren't in order to impress their families, but then when they met each other, they weren't as pressured to do that. They rescued each other from their own self destruction.
There were a few really subtle moments of romance, but it wasn't the main focus of the novel, which is something I appreciated a lot. Too often in these dystopian fantasy novels, the girl needs a male romantic lead to make her feel whole and give her some amount of power. Not here!! Kate is already strong as hell!
It was cool to see them anchoring each other through talking. When either one of them was going to break, they told each other to tell them something, anything, and that was just one of those moments that were so emotional. They start repeating each other and caring for one another, something that I don't think either of them had really had before.
I loved all of August's quotes about humanity and what makes a person human. They were very well written!!
I can honestly keep going on the characters and do a character study on these two, but I am not going to do that. (At least not right now.)
I want Ilsa to be my best friend (even though she's kinda creepy at times) and Allegro to cuddle with. It was so freaking cute how the cat was brought in to further humanize August and Ilsa. It reminded me of my cat too.
The monsters were creepy as hell. It actually made me a little nervous in the dark for a bit while I was reading it. (To be honest, I don't get scared of the dark, so that just amps the creepy factor of this book.)
I loved all of the descriptions of sound, music and silence. Because they are all so important and ingrained into the story itself, it was cool whenever Victoria Schwab would bring attention to them in more artistic and melodic ways was just beautiful. I also loved all of the star imagery (but that's just because I am obsessed with the stars.)
I really want to explore the rest of the world and see what else is in store for these characters.
Overall, very well written novel. There were a few moments where it felt a little slow to me, but those were pretty few and far between.
Plot/joke spoilers in the rest of the review.
WTF happened in the freaking Elegy? Did a new Sunai/Malaki just emerge looking like Kate's mom?!?!?!? That is just bananas!!
Also, Leo, wtf dude? You're such a prick. Why would you do that?
Sunai's favorite food = SOUL FOOD (This line was freaking brilliant.)
This book has such an interesting concept in the way it takes the standard Good vs Evil and blurs the lines completely. There are the standard "monsters" and "humans" but it gets hard to tell who is actually at fault in the war that is brewing in the book.
I loved the characters in this book. If I were to rate the book on characters alone, I would have given it a five star review, but alas, I did not. I really enjoyed how August and Kate were both trying to be something they weren't in order to impress their families, but then when they met each other, they weren't as pressured to do that. They rescued each other from their own self destruction.
There were a few really subtle moments of romance, but it wasn't the main focus of the novel, which is something I appreciated a lot. Too often in these dystopian fantasy novels, the girl needs a male romantic lead to make her feel whole and give her some amount of power. Not here!! Kate is already strong as hell!
It was cool to see them anchoring each other through talking. When either one of them was going to break, they told each other to tell them something, anything, and that was just one of those moments that were so emotional. They start repeating each other and caring for one another, something that I don't think either of them had really had before.
I loved all of August's quotes about humanity and what makes a person human. They were very well written!!
I can honestly keep going on the characters and do a character study on these two, but I am not going to do that. (At least not right now.)
I want Ilsa to be my best friend (even though she's kinda creepy at times) and Allegro to cuddle with. It was so freaking cute how the cat was brought in to further humanize August and Ilsa. It reminded me of my cat too.
The monsters were creepy as hell. It actually made me a little nervous in the dark for a bit while I was reading it. (To be honest, I don't get scared of the dark, so that just amps the creepy factor of this book.)
I loved all of the descriptions of sound, music and silence. Because they are all so important and ingrained into the story itself, it was cool whenever Victoria Schwab would bring attention to them in more artistic and melodic ways was just beautiful. I also loved all of the star imagery (but that's just because I am obsessed with the stars.)
I really want to explore the rest of the world and see what else is in store for these characters.
Overall, very well written novel. There were a few moments where it felt a little slow to me, but those were pretty few and far between.
Plot/joke spoilers in the rest of the review.
WTF happened in the freaking Elegy? Did a new Sunai/Malaki just emerge looking like Kate's mom?!?!?!? That is just bananas!!
Also, Leo, wtf dude? You're such a prick. Why would you do that?
Sunai's favorite food = SOUL FOOD (This line was freaking brilliant.)
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated The Cloverfield Paradox (2018) in Movies
Mar 23, 2018 (Updated Mar 24, 2018)
What? Why? How?
Right, quick disclaimer - this is going to be less of a review of the movie and more of a rant on how this movie ruins any Cloverfield movies going forward.
In terms of reviewing this film, I actually don't think that this film is as bad as most other people have been saying. There are actually some cool moments and neat ideas here, they just don't really work when they are all put together like this movie tried to do. I liked the cast, I thought that the set was cool, I even enjoyed some of the more cheesy sci-fi clichés in the film, but the whole point of the first two Cloverfield movies is that these planet altering events aren't explained. Even if you totally disregard the fact that this 'explanation,' actually makes no sense when you think about the timeline of the first movie's events, half the fun of the first movie was trying to work out exactly wtf was going on, this half arsed attempt at explaining it just ruins any of that potential fun.
Then, the second movie established that the 'Cloverfield,' label was more of an umbrella that went over these exciting sci-fi movies. Sure, it ties the movies together as a franchise, but there are no obvious links between the franchise entries and that's ok. Think of the 'Cloverfield,' title as being similar to the 'Twilight Zone.' Not everything has to make sense and call back/forward to another entry in the franchise. The tenuous links we had in the other movies, like how it was mentioned in 10CL that Howard worked at a satellite company before building his underground bunker, was more than enough to constitute a link and spark the online fan theories, we didn't need any more than that. Then there was all of the online marketing stuff involving Slusho and Tagruato, which was so clever and unique and elevated the first movie from being a mediocre monster flick to something intriguing and ripe for discussion.
Now this movie comes along and claims that all of these events are interconnected, even though the events of of the previous two movies took place years before the events of Cloverfield Paradox. Then they think by showing us a huge version of Clover from the first movie at the end of Paradox just automatically makes everything okay?
Why did they not just make this movie about a group of astronauts on a space station having some weird shit happening to them, (like the original script for this film was written,) and then call it Cloverfield: God Particle? (which was the movie's original title.) They could have still had Stambler's brother on the news at the start talking about how the crew's mission is dangerous and that would be enough to link this to the other movies. Why they included the appearance of Clover at the end of Paradox and the other half arsed attempts to tie the other two movies into this one is beyond me. It is so unnecessary and defeats the whole point of the Cloverfield franchise as a whole.
That is the reason I didn't like this movie, not because of the movie itself. The film itself was ok, but what it tried to do in terms of connecting these movies was stupid and unnecessary and may have ruined any other Cloverfield movies going forward.
In terms of reviewing this film, I actually don't think that this film is as bad as most other people have been saying. There are actually some cool moments and neat ideas here, they just don't really work when they are all put together like this movie tried to do. I liked the cast, I thought that the set was cool, I even enjoyed some of the more cheesy sci-fi clichés in the film, but the whole point of the first two Cloverfield movies is that these planet altering events aren't explained. Even if you totally disregard the fact that this 'explanation,' actually makes no sense when you think about the timeline of the first movie's events, half the fun of the first movie was trying to work out exactly wtf was going on, this half arsed attempt at explaining it just ruins any of that potential fun.
Then, the second movie established that the 'Cloverfield,' label was more of an umbrella that went over these exciting sci-fi movies. Sure, it ties the movies together as a franchise, but there are no obvious links between the franchise entries and that's ok. Think of the 'Cloverfield,' title as being similar to the 'Twilight Zone.' Not everything has to make sense and call back/forward to another entry in the franchise. The tenuous links we had in the other movies, like how it was mentioned in 10CL that Howard worked at a satellite company before building his underground bunker, was more than enough to constitute a link and spark the online fan theories, we didn't need any more than that. Then there was all of the online marketing stuff involving Slusho and Tagruato, which was so clever and unique and elevated the first movie from being a mediocre monster flick to something intriguing and ripe for discussion.
Now this movie comes along and claims that all of these events are interconnected, even though the events of of the previous two movies took place years before the events of Cloverfield Paradox. Then they think by showing us a huge version of Clover from the first movie at the end of Paradox just automatically makes everything okay?
Why did they not just make this movie about a group of astronauts on a space station having some weird shit happening to them, (like the original script for this film was written,) and then call it Cloverfield: God Particle? (which was the movie's original title.) They could have still had Stambler's brother on the news at the start talking about how the crew's mission is dangerous and that would be enough to link this to the other movies. Why they included the appearance of Clover at the end of Paradox and the other half arsed attempts to tie the other two movies into this one is beyond me. It is so unnecessary and defeats the whole point of the Cloverfield franchise as a whole.
That is the reason I didn't like this movie, not because of the movie itself. The film itself was ok, but what it tried to do in terms of connecting these movies was stupid and unnecessary and may have ruined any other Cloverfield movies going forward.
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated The Witchfinder's Sister in Books
Mar 15, 2018
<i><b>I think now that to be close to someone can be to underestimate them. Grow too close, and you do not see what they are capable of; or you do not see it in time.</b></i>
<i>The Witchfinder’s Sister</i> is based on true life witch hunter Matthew Hopkins that grew to fame during the English Civil War around East Anglia, hunting and killing “witches”. This book isn’t non-fiction, it’s fiction based around non-fiction! I love these sorts of books that create their own stories from something that was very much real. Not only does it make for good reading, they also bring in some true history facts, so you’re being educated on the subject as you read.
High praise goes to Underdown for this novel. I feel like historical fiction can be hard genre to get right, and considering this is a <i>debut</i> novel, I’m amazed at how well put together and beautiful this has turned out to be! I love reading historical fiction, every once in awhile, and this is the sort of book that keeps my love for the genre burning.
The writing in this novel was haunting and beautiful. Nine times out of ten, it was exactly as you would have imagined the 17th Century to be, but I felt there were a few slips that made the book feel modern. For example, would a lady in 1645 say the phrase <i><b>“shitting herself”</b></i>? Correct me if I’m wrong, but that feels like a reasonably modern phrase to me.
I loved our main character, Alice. Me and my mum were talking about historical fiction novels and how we find it hard to understand why women make the decisions they make in these books, because we’re so used to having some equality and independence. But I noted that in this book, even though Alice is inferior to her brother and his counterparts, she is still a risk taker; going against her brother's wishes & sneaking around. I liked that she was strong and a little rebellious, it was so much easier to connect with her because of this.
On the other hand. I <i>hated</i> Matthew. He was a despicable character. I can rarely hate a character in a book, even if I’m supposed to. I tend to find the good in them at some point, or have some sort of sympathy for them, but I absolutely despised Matthew. Well done to Underdown for creating such a hate-inducing character. It’s quite a hard feat, but she managed it perfectly. The same goes for Mary Phillips.
The tension was built so well in this novel, you could feel the mystery growing and growing with every page and I loved it! Though the story moved reasonably slowly, the book was still absolutely riveting and I found it extremely hard to put down when I knew it was time to get some rest.
I am so, so excited to read more from Underdown. This was an amazingly well put together and researched.
<i>Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Books UK for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.</i>
<i>The Witchfinder’s Sister</i> is based on true life witch hunter Matthew Hopkins that grew to fame during the English Civil War around East Anglia, hunting and killing “witches”. This book isn’t non-fiction, it’s fiction based around non-fiction! I love these sorts of books that create their own stories from something that was very much real. Not only does it make for good reading, they also bring in some true history facts, so you’re being educated on the subject as you read.
High praise goes to Underdown for this novel. I feel like historical fiction can be hard genre to get right, and considering this is a <i>debut</i> novel, I’m amazed at how well put together and beautiful this has turned out to be! I love reading historical fiction, every once in awhile, and this is the sort of book that keeps my love for the genre burning.
The writing in this novel was haunting and beautiful. Nine times out of ten, it was exactly as you would have imagined the 17th Century to be, but I felt there were a few slips that made the book feel modern. For example, would a lady in 1645 say the phrase <i><b>“shitting herself”</b></i>? Correct me if I’m wrong, but that feels like a reasonably modern phrase to me.
I loved our main character, Alice. Me and my mum were talking about historical fiction novels and how we find it hard to understand why women make the decisions they make in these books, because we’re so used to having some equality and independence. But I noted that in this book, even though Alice is inferior to her brother and his counterparts, she is still a risk taker; going against her brother's wishes & sneaking around. I liked that she was strong and a little rebellious, it was so much easier to connect with her because of this.
On the other hand. I <i>hated</i> Matthew. He was a despicable character. I can rarely hate a character in a book, even if I’m supposed to. I tend to find the good in them at some point, or have some sort of sympathy for them, but I absolutely despised Matthew. Well done to Underdown for creating such a hate-inducing character. It’s quite a hard feat, but she managed it perfectly. The same goes for Mary Phillips.
The tension was built so well in this novel, you could feel the mystery growing and growing with every page and I loved it! Though the story moved reasonably slowly, the book was still absolutely riveting and I found it extremely hard to put down when I knew it was time to get some rest.
I am so, so excited to read more from Underdown. This was an amazingly well put together and researched.
<i>Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Books UK for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.</i>
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated Anatomy of Innocence: Testimonies of the Wrongfully Convicted in Books
Mar 15, 2018
With movements like Black Lives Matter at the forefront of society right now, and multiple documentaries about wrongful convictions such as Steven Avery and The West Memphis Three out, there has never been a better time for this book to come out and be read. This topic is <i><b>so important.</i></b>
Reading about the lives of these poor, innocent human beings being treated like theyre dirt, like theyre less than dirt, is devastating. A number of these stories actually brought tears to my eyes. How this injustice goes on, I cant fathom. In many of these stories we hear how there are alibis that prove the person wasnt there to commit the crime, but they convict them anyway. There are confessions from other people to crimes, yet they will convict someone else. There is someone elses DNA on a victim's body but they will commit someone whose DNA is not on the body. And possibly the worst one of them all, there are statements from VICTIMS that the person they have arrested is not the right person, yet they will still convict them. How can a legal system, thats supposed to protect us and who were supposed to trust, let this happen? It makes my blood boil.
In this book, each persons story is written by a prolific crime writer, so all of these accounts are really well written and they really bring out raw emotions in you because theyre so well presented and you can feel the exonerees pain.
Many of these people spent over a decade, if not over <b>two decades</b> of their life trapped in the walls of dirty prisons for crimes they were innocent of, such as murder, child murder, rape and GBH. The brutality of the officers arresting these people makes me sick. <b>Literal</b> torture is used on innocent people, as young as 17, to coax a <b>false confession</b> out of them, all because they want to be able to arrest someone. What makes me sicker is that these officers and the higher powers who turn(ed) a blind eye to this kind of abuse are never charged or made to own up to their brutalities AND because of the idiocy of these *insert the worst possible swear word and insults here* policemen, real child sex offenders and heartless murderers are <b>NEVER CAUGHT.</b>
This book is hopeful, but it is also heart breaking and while I could go on forever talking about the hatred and rage that this book makes me feel, but Im going to end it with this instead.
<b><blockquote>GLORIA KILLIAN
DAVID BATES
RAY TOWLER
MICHAEL EVANS
KEN WYNIEMKO
KIRK BLOODWORTH
AUDREY EDMUNDS
ALTON LOGAN
PETER REILLY
GINNY LEFEVER
BILL DILLON
JEFF DESKOVIC
ANTOINE DAY
JERRY MILLER
JUAN RIVERA</blockquote></b>
<b>You are brave and you are strong. Thank you for sharing your stories with us and shining a light on a subject so often ignored. I hope the world does nothing but right by you from here on in. You, over anyone, deserve it.</b>
I have been inspired. I am now going to look into the UKs own Innocence Group and see what I can do to help those 10% who are wrongly convicted and being left to rot in prison.
<i>Thanks to Netgalley and W. W. Norton & Company for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.</i>
Reading about the lives of these poor, innocent human beings being treated like theyre dirt, like theyre less than dirt, is devastating. A number of these stories actually brought tears to my eyes. How this injustice goes on, I cant fathom. In many of these stories we hear how there are alibis that prove the person wasnt there to commit the crime, but they convict them anyway. There are confessions from other people to crimes, yet they will convict someone else. There is someone elses DNA on a victim's body but they will commit someone whose DNA is not on the body. And possibly the worst one of them all, there are statements from VICTIMS that the person they have arrested is not the right person, yet they will still convict them. How can a legal system, thats supposed to protect us and who were supposed to trust, let this happen? It makes my blood boil.
In this book, each persons story is written by a prolific crime writer, so all of these accounts are really well written and they really bring out raw emotions in you because theyre so well presented and you can feel the exonerees pain.
Many of these people spent over a decade, if not over <b>two decades</b> of their life trapped in the walls of dirty prisons for crimes they were innocent of, such as murder, child murder, rape and GBH. The brutality of the officers arresting these people makes me sick. <b>Literal</b> torture is used on innocent people, as young as 17, to coax a <b>false confession</b> out of them, all because they want to be able to arrest someone. What makes me sicker is that these officers and the higher powers who turn(ed) a blind eye to this kind of abuse are never charged or made to own up to their brutalities AND because of the idiocy of these *insert the worst possible swear word and insults here* policemen, real child sex offenders and heartless murderers are <b>NEVER CAUGHT.</b>
This book is hopeful, but it is also heart breaking and while I could go on forever talking about the hatred and rage that this book makes me feel, but Im going to end it with this instead.
<b><blockquote>GLORIA KILLIAN
DAVID BATES
RAY TOWLER
MICHAEL EVANS
KEN WYNIEMKO
KIRK BLOODWORTH
AUDREY EDMUNDS
ALTON LOGAN
PETER REILLY
GINNY LEFEVER
BILL DILLON
JEFF DESKOVIC
ANTOINE DAY
JERRY MILLER
JUAN RIVERA</blockquote></b>
<b>You are brave and you are strong. Thank you for sharing your stories with us and shining a light on a subject so often ignored. I hope the world does nothing but right by you from here on in. You, over anyone, deserve it.</b>
I have been inspired. I am now going to look into the UKs own Innocence Group and see what I can do to help those 10% who are wrongly convicted and being left to rot in prison.
<i>Thanks to Netgalley and W. W. Norton & Company for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.</i>
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Oh Dear Silvia in Books
Jun 7, 2018
I received this book for free through the Goodreads Firstreads program.
(This review can also be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.co.uk">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
I love Dawn French! I think she is such a funny woman!! I was so happy to have won a copy of her fiction book entitled Oh Dear Silvia from Goodreads. However, once I started reading the book, it became apparent that I wasn't going to enjoy it.
Silvia is in a coma after falling from a balcony and hitting her head. Throughout her time in hospital, she is visited by family, her best friend, her ex-husband, her nurse, and her cleaner. Each has their own story to tell however odd it may be. Throughout this book, we will find out about who Silvia is.
The title of this book really works. After reading the book, I would say it definitely fits well with the story.
The cover of this book is quite bland. The tree on the cover of the book does have significance, but it's just rather boring. It wouldn't entice me to pick up this book to see what it's about. Surely, the cover could've been a bit more decorative.
The setting takes place mostly in suite 5 which is Silvia's room in hospital. The world building is alright. The memories of each visitor help set the story.
I found the pacing of Oh Dear Silvia to be extremely and painfully slow. At some points, I found myself skim reading the especially boring parts. I couldn't wait for this book to be over. There's not even one bit in this book where the pacing picks up. There's no real plot in this book, so there's definitely no plot twists. The pacing definitely lets this book down.
The dialogue is comedic at times which I found to be a small reprieve from the slowness of this book. Ed's dialogue really bored me.
The characters are well-developed which I found to be a relief. Each chapter of the book is told by someone who knows Silvia. The main characters that have their own chapters being Ed, Cat, Jo, Cassie, Winnie, and Tia. Ed is by far the most boring character that could ever be in a book. All he mostly talks about is his boring trees. Whilst I did find him to be a well-developed character, I found him extremely dull and found myself wishing that he'd just stop talking. Winnie and Tia were my favourite characters. Winnie has a big heart, and it really comes across in this book. Tia is from Indonesia so has a hard time pronouncing Silvia's surname which always made me laugh!! I found Tia and Jo to be the characters that brought the humour, and they delivered! Cat is the high strung character, and Cassie is the angry daughter. Each character has a unique personality. Well done to Dawn French for making each character unique! Through each of the characters' stories, we learn more and more about Silvia.
Even with the strong character personalities and comedic timing, this book still fell flat. I felt that this book was missing a plot. Oh Dear Silvia comes across more as a memoir about Silvia then anything else.
I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone except those who need help falling asleep. Dawn French is great, but this book just didn't do it for me.
(This review can also be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.co.uk">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
I love Dawn French! I think she is such a funny woman!! I was so happy to have won a copy of her fiction book entitled Oh Dear Silvia from Goodreads. However, once I started reading the book, it became apparent that I wasn't going to enjoy it.
Silvia is in a coma after falling from a balcony and hitting her head. Throughout her time in hospital, she is visited by family, her best friend, her ex-husband, her nurse, and her cleaner. Each has their own story to tell however odd it may be. Throughout this book, we will find out about who Silvia is.
The title of this book really works. After reading the book, I would say it definitely fits well with the story.
The cover of this book is quite bland. The tree on the cover of the book does have significance, but it's just rather boring. It wouldn't entice me to pick up this book to see what it's about. Surely, the cover could've been a bit more decorative.
The setting takes place mostly in suite 5 which is Silvia's room in hospital. The world building is alright. The memories of each visitor help set the story.
I found the pacing of Oh Dear Silvia to be extremely and painfully slow. At some points, I found myself skim reading the especially boring parts. I couldn't wait for this book to be over. There's not even one bit in this book where the pacing picks up. There's no real plot in this book, so there's definitely no plot twists. The pacing definitely lets this book down.
The dialogue is comedic at times which I found to be a small reprieve from the slowness of this book. Ed's dialogue really bored me.
The characters are well-developed which I found to be a relief. Each chapter of the book is told by someone who knows Silvia. The main characters that have their own chapters being Ed, Cat, Jo, Cassie, Winnie, and Tia. Ed is by far the most boring character that could ever be in a book. All he mostly talks about is his boring trees. Whilst I did find him to be a well-developed character, I found him extremely dull and found myself wishing that he'd just stop talking. Winnie and Tia were my favourite characters. Winnie has a big heart, and it really comes across in this book. Tia is from Indonesia so has a hard time pronouncing Silvia's surname which always made me laugh!! I found Tia and Jo to be the characters that brought the humour, and they delivered! Cat is the high strung character, and Cassie is the angry daughter. Each character has a unique personality. Well done to Dawn French for making each character unique! Through each of the characters' stories, we learn more and more about Silvia.
Even with the strong character personalities and comedic timing, this book still fell flat. I felt that this book was missing a plot. Oh Dear Silvia comes across more as a memoir about Silvia then anything else.
I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone except those who need help falling asleep. Dawn French is great, but this book just didn't do it for me.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Pitch Green (Dimensions in Death, #1) in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review can also be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
Those who know me know that YA horror is my favourite genre. I was lucky enough to be asked by Jolly Fish Press to review a book that fit that genre. The book was Pitch Green (Dimensions in Death #1) by The Brothers Washburn. I definitely wasn't disappointed with this book.
Camm and Cal have been best friends forever. They've pretty much gone through everything together including the disappearance of Camm's little brother seven years ago. As Camm and Cal dig deeper to solve Cal's little brother's disappearance, they discover that more children have gone missing in their little hometown starting back in 1941. They also discover that some sinister force is behind the disappearance. Will Camm and Cal lose their life in the process of uncovering this mystery or will they lose their sanity?
Okay, I don't really get the title of this book. I understand the whole "green" part of the title which I won't explain due to small spoilers, but I don't understand the "pitch" bit. It's definitely an unusual title, that's for sure. However, I don't like or dislike the title. It just leaves me perplexed.
I'm definitely a fan of this spooky looking cover! I love the spooky green font and the creepy looking grandfather clock with the hanging man pendulum which features quite frequently in the book. I do believe that the cover of this book gives its readers a glimpse into what to expect.
I enjoyed the world building. I could definitely picture the creepy mansion in my mind, and because I live by lots of plants (not the green kind), I could totally relate to the Trona plant mentioned throughout the book.
I enjoyed the pacing of this book although I must admit that there was a chapter or two when I thought that the pacing was going to be slow. However, it quickly picked up, and I was hooked. I finished Pitch Green sooner then I had anticipated...that's how great the pacing was!
The only problem I had with this book was the fact that Camm and Cal seemed a bit younger than 18. They came across, to me, as being about 12 or 13 years old due to their actions, dialogue, and thoughts. Other than that, they were quite enjoyable characters. I loved how much of a wise cracker Camm was.
As I said before, the dialogue didn't match that of two 18 year olds. Don't get me wrong, the dialogue did make me laugh quite a bit, but it was off. The dialogue wasn't that bothersome after I got farther into the book and just imagined Camm and Cal to be two 14 year olds talking to each other. As for language, there is only one swear word.
I will definitely be buying the next book in the series. The ending of this book definitely left me wanting more despite the characters acting younger than their age.
I'd definitely recommend this book to everyone aged 13+ especially those who are fans of the horror genre.
(I was given a copy of this book from the publishers in exchange for a fair and honest review).
Those who know me know that YA horror is my favourite genre. I was lucky enough to be asked by Jolly Fish Press to review a book that fit that genre. The book was Pitch Green (Dimensions in Death #1) by The Brothers Washburn. I definitely wasn't disappointed with this book.
Camm and Cal have been best friends forever. They've pretty much gone through everything together including the disappearance of Camm's little brother seven years ago. As Camm and Cal dig deeper to solve Cal's little brother's disappearance, they discover that more children have gone missing in their little hometown starting back in 1941. They also discover that some sinister force is behind the disappearance. Will Camm and Cal lose their life in the process of uncovering this mystery or will they lose their sanity?
Okay, I don't really get the title of this book. I understand the whole "green" part of the title which I won't explain due to small spoilers, but I don't understand the "pitch" bit. It's definitely an unusual title, that's for sure. However, I don't like or dislike the title. It just leaves me perplexed.
I'm definitely a fan of this spooky looking cover! I love the spooky green font and the creepy looking grandfather clock with the hanging man pendulum which features quite frequently in the book. I do believe that the cover of this book gives its readers a glimpse into what to expect.
I enjoyed the world building. I could definitely picture the creepy mansion in my mind, and because I live by lots of plants (not the green kind), I could totally relate to the Trona plant mentioned throughout the book.
I enjoyed the pacing of this book although I must admit that there was a chapter or two when I thought that the pacing was going to be slow. However, it quickly picked up, and I was hooked. I finished Pitch Green sooner then I had anticipated...that's how great the pacing was!
The only problem I had with this book was the fact that Camm and Cal seemed a bit younger than 18. They came across, to me, as being about 12 or 13 years old due to their actions, dialogue, and thoughts. Other than that, they were quite enjoyable characters. I loved how much of a wise cracker Camm was.
As I said before, the dialogue didn't match that of two 18 year olds. Don't get me wrong, the dialogue did make me laugh quite a bit, but it was off. The dialogue wasn't that bothersome after I got farther into the book and just imagined Camm and Cal to be two 14 year olds talking to each other. As for language, there is only one swear word.
I will definitely be buying the next book in the series. The ending of this book definitely left me wanting more despite the characters acting younger than their age.
I'd definitely recommend this book to everyone aged 13+ especially those who are fans of the horror genre.
(I was given a copy of this book from the publishers in exchange for a fair and honest review).
Lilyn G - Sci-Fi & Scary (91 KP) rated Dreamfall in Books
May 30, 2018
Great potential, poor follow-through
Dreamfall ticked me off, because it felt like the author ended the book on a massive cliff-hanger. I didn’t feel like I was given enough of the story to even faintly satisfy me. Look, I wasn’t expecting it to be a complete stand-alone, because I knew that there were more books in the series. A good series should have each book able to effectively function as a stand-alone. The author should be able to leave some threads dangling, but successfully resolve the story arc of the book while advancing the series story arc as a whole. If I had paid for this book instead of borrowing it from the library, I would be pissed. Maybe I’m being unfair. I’m willing to admit that’s a possibility, but this was just not a satisfying read. At all!
I had high hopes for Dreamfall, but the ending wasn’t the only way it disappointed me. The first couple chapters made it seem like it was going to be super creepy. Insomnia, sleep paralysis, promises of monsters, etc, are an awesome combination especially if you have experienced insomnia, sleep paralysis, and night terrors. You’re able to put yourself right there in the book with the characters. Except that, although the beginning promised great things, the fact that this is a YA book soon asserted itself. Horror-lite, except in the hands of a truly talented horror story-teller, waters down to a handful of creepy scenes and some mild tension on occasion. That’s what happened here in Dreamfall. The only stand-out scenes involved a coffin and a cave. (Though, to be fair, if you find lots of things scary, you might find more to be creeped out by in it.)
And the drama. Oh, the unnecessary drama. Now, to her credit, for once I’m not talking about a love triangle. Instead, it’s a case of the author simply trying way too hard to stretch out the drama. For non-spoiling, I’ll simply say that some of the dialogue made zero sense, and apparently no one besides Jaime ever apparently thinks to check the cameras.
The characters were okay, mostly. I’m out of the YA age range, so the chances I was going to connect with any of them were fairly small. However, I had kind of hoped that I would care about a few of them. I did mildly care about one and that was purely a circumstance of name and time of year more than anything else. Anyways, that one poofed, and thus ended my affection for any of the characters. (Though there was one twist associated with that particular character that made me grin.)
But, because I’m aware that I’ve ranted a good bit about the book, I need to balance this out a bit. Dreamfall has a very interesting plot idea. The pacing of the book is nice and quick. The dialogue between the characters is mostly believable, even if some of the ‘real’ situations are not. Even though the book swiftly lost pretty much all chance of scaring me, up until the end, I was interested – if not thrilled – by what I was reading. My main pick with this book really comes down to the fact that it feels like it was forced to be two (or more?) books instead of one. As fantastic as this plot idea is, it really is a ONE book idea. Oh, I liked the cover, too.
So disappointed because I had my hopes up, and they got thoroughly dashed.
I had high hopes for Dreamfall, but the ending wasn’t the only way it disappointed me. The first couple chapters made it seem like it was going to be super creepy. Insomnia, sleep paralysis, promises of monsters, etc, are an awesome combination especially if you have experienced insomnia, sleep paralysis, and night terrors. You’re able to put yourself right there in the book with the characters. Except that, although the beginning promised great things, the fact that this is a YA book soon asserted itself. Horror-lite, except in the hands of a truly talented horror story-teller, waters down to a handful of creepy scenes and some mild tension on occasion. That’s what happened here in Dreamfall. The only stand-out scenes involved a coffin and a cave. (Though, to be fair, if you find lots of things scary, you might find more to be creeped out by in it.)
And the drama. Oh, the unnecessary drama. Now, to her credit, for once I’m not talking about a love triangle. Instead, it’s a case of the author simply trying way too hard to stretch out the drama. For non-spoiling, I’ll simply say that some of the dialogue made zero sense, and apparently no one besides Jaime ever apparently thinks to check the cameras.
The characters were okay, mostly. I’m out of the YA age range, so the chances I was going to connect with any of them were fairly small. However, I had kind of hoped that I would care about a few of them. I did mildly care about one and that was purely a circumstance of name and time of year more than anything else. Anyways, that one poofed, and thus ended my affection for any of the characters. (Though there was one twist associated with that particular character that made me grin.)
But, because I’m aware that I’ve ranted a good bit about the book, I need to balance this out a bit. Dreamfall has a very interesting plot idea. The pacing of the book is nice and quick. The dialogue between the characters is mostly believable, even if some of the ‘real’ situations are not. Even though the book swiftly lost pretty much all chance of scaring me, up until the end, I was interested – if not thrilled – by what I was reading. My main pick with this book really comes down to the fact that it feels like it was forced to be two (or more?) books instead of one. As fantastic as this plot idea is, it really is a ONE book idea. Oh, I liked the cover, too.
So disappointed because I had my hopes up, and they got thoroughly dashed.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Birds Art Life Death: A Field Guide to the Small and Significant in Books
Dec 7, 2018
<i>This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review</i>
There comes a time when novelists, as with any creative professional, become unmotivated or at a loss as to what to write about – writer’s block. Such an occurrence happened to children’s novelist, Kyo Maclear. Through the work of her songwriter husband, Maclear discovers a musician struggling with the demands of his career in a competitive world, causing anxiety and depression. In order to distance himself from the stresses of his employment, the musician finds solace in bird watching. Intrigued as to what prompted his ardent interest in birds, Maclear tags along with him for a year, and thus, <i>Birds Art Life Death: A Field Guide to the Small and Significant</i> was born.
To preempt any confusion, despite what the title may suggest, this book is not a field guide about birds. When Maclear began talking to the musician (who remains anonymous except for a mention in the acknowledgements), she was completely nescient on the subject of birds and had a lot to learn. Although some facts are stated in the narrative, <i>Birds Art Life Death</i> is more a reflective memoir of the author’s life. Using bird watching as a key example, Maclear explores the ways artists of all kinds have retreated from the pressures of everyday life in order to take time to appreciate the smaller, less celebrated aspects.
Bird watching, in particular, provides the musician and Maclear the opportunity to sit still (literally) and just be. Paying attention to the numerous habitats of the winged-creatures provides the author with a new outlook on life, and fodder to include in future works (hence this book). It also gives her the opportunity to reflect on her past, her parents – particularly her anticipatory grief toward her elderly father – her husband, and her sons. In fact, the author’s own life features as heavily as the bird watching trips she goes on.
Written in chronological order from winter through to autumn, Maclear’s knowledge of birds increases, as does her awareness of the world and life around her. However, her sequence of events is often interrupted by retrospective thought and additional research, which causes the book to head in too many directions at once. It is as though the author’s disorganized mind has been spilled onto the page for everyone to see.
It is clear, however, that Maclear has put an exceptional amount of time into researching the topic of birds. She does not regurgitate factual, mundane information about the species; instead she has delved deeper and from an artistic point of view, to discover so much more than an encyclopedic textbook would provide.
From a myriad of resources, Maclear has pulled out quotes from bird enthusiasts and creative individuals alike to emphasise the effects birds have had on people’s lives and artistic careers. Interestingly, many artists and authors have found the delicate creatures fascinating and included them in their works, for example: Leonardo da Vinci, Charles Dickens, William Faulkner and Iris Murdoch.
<i>Birds Art Life Death</i> is unlikely to increase your knowledge of birds or bird watching, however it may inspire you to take time out to explore and enjoy nature. Whether you are a creative individual in need of a break, or an office worker desperately wanting some fresh air, Maclear encourages you to step back from the trials of life and find pleasure in the little, but highly significant, facts of being.
There comes a time when novelists, as with any creative professional, become unmotivated or at a loss as to what to write about – writer’s block. Such an occurrence happened to children’s novelist, Kyo Maclear. Through the work of her songwriter husband, Maclear discovers a musician struggling with the demands of his career in a competitive world, causing anxiety and depression. In order to distance himself from the stresses of his employment, the musician finds solace in bird watching. Intrigued as to what prompted his ardent interest in birds, Maclear tags along with him for a year, and thus, <i>Birds Art Life Death: A Field Guide to the Small and Significant</i> was born.
To preempt any confusion, despite what the title may suggest, this book is not a field guide about birds. When Maclear began talking to the musician (who remains anonymous except for a mention in the acknowledgements), she was completely nescient on the subject of birds and had a lot to learn. Although some facts are stated in the narrative, <i>Birds Art Life Death</i> is more a reflective memoir of the author’s life. Using bird watching as a key example, Maclear explores the ways artists of all kinds have retreated from the pressures of everyday life in order to take time to appreciate the smaller, less celebrated aspects.
Bird watching, in particular, provides the musician and Maclear the opportunity to sit still (literally) and just be. Paying attention to the numerous habitats of the winged-creatures provides the author with a new outlook on life, and fodder to include in future works (hence this book). It also gives her the opportunity to reflect on her past, her parents – particularly her anticipatory grief toward her elderly father – her husband, and her sons. In fact, the author’s own life features as heavily as the bird watching trips she goes on.
Written in chronological order from winter through to autumn, Maclear’s knowledge of birds increases, as does her awareness of the world and life around her. However, her sequence of events is often interrupted by retrospective thought and additional research, which causes the book to head in too many directions at once. It is as though the author’s disorganized mind has been spilled onto the page for everyone to see.
It is clear, however, that Maclear has put an exceptional amount of time into researching the topic of birds. She does not regurgitate factual, mundane information about the species; instead she has delved deeper and from an artistic point of view, to discover so much more than an encyclopedic textbook would provide.
From a myriad of resources, Maclear has pulled out quotes from bird enthusiasts and creative individuals alike to emphasise the effects birds have had on people’s lives and artistic careers. Interestingly, many artists and authors have found the delicate creatures fascinating and included them in their works, for example: Leonardo da Vinci, Charles Dickens, William Faulkner and Iris Murdoch.
<i>Birds Art Life Death</i> is unlikely to increase your knowledge of birds or bird watching, however it may inspire you to take time out to explore and enjoy nature. Whether you are a creative individual in need of a break, or an office worker desperately wanting some fresh air, Maclear encourages you to step back from the trials of life and find pleasure in the little, but highly significant, facts of being.
Fred (860 KP) rated the PlayStation 4 version of LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 in Video Games
Jul 12, 2018
Tons of characters from the Marvel comics (2 more)
Cool story
Cool locales
Voice acting is meh (1 more)
Lots of glitches
More of the same, but different & glitchy
I've played all of the Lego games & I've seen some good ones, like the Star Wars one & I've seen some bad ones. (Looking at you Indiana Jones) I'm a fan of these games, as they're mindless fun, plus they're easy platinum trophies.
Lego Marvel Superheroes 2 is one of those good ones, although it does have some problems.
Let's start with the good. There are tons & I mean TONS of characters to unlock in this one. Mostly based on the comic book versions of the characters, with some from the MCU of course. It was so fun to play some of my favorite lesser-known characters, like the Spider-Man Noir version or the Kronan in the Planet Hulk arena.
The story is an original, with Kang the Conqueror as the main villain of the story. Because he's altering lime-lines, along with different dimensions, we have a world mixed with different worlds. We have Asgard, Manhattan Noir (a 30s-40s version of New York), Wild West Town, Avenger's Mansion, & many many more. Just like the mall in the movie The Blues Brothers, this place has got everything. It's so much fun jumping around from place to place.
Now the bad. Let's start with the voice acting. There are no famous voices in the game & it shows. Supposedly, the game was made during an actor's strike & so we got what they can get. Now, not saying the voice acting is bad, but it's just so-so. Some voices seem out of place for some characters. Captain America doesn't sound like he should. Doctor Strange doesn't sound like he should. Now, I may be ruined by the actors from the movies, but if you hear them in the game, you'll agree. It has less to do with their live-action counterparts & more of "Yeah, I never pictured Tony Stark sounding like...that."
And now my main complaint. Lots of glitches. Even after the update, I find lots of glitches in the game. The most annoying one is finding one of your characters stuck in a spot, dying over & over in an endless loop, such as falling off a platform to his/her death or stuck on some radioactive material. I found myself more than a few times having to exit the level & start all over due to this happening. Another glitch was in the arena, where Hulk turned himself back to Bruce Banner & would not turn back into the Hulk. Now maybe this was meant to happen, like in the Infinity War movie, when he was scared to turn to the Hulk, but I don't think so. Reason being towards the end of the fight, they have Hulk talking, while he was still as Bruce Banner. Luckily I didn't need Hulk to beat the level, as I would have had to start over. Other glitches include characters switching by themselves & audio cutting out.
This being said, I still want to play this game. While not one of the best Lego games, it's still fun & it's very cool, especially if you're a comic book fan.
Lego Marvel Superheroes 2 is one of those good ones, although it does have some problems.
Let's start with the good. There are tons & I mean TONS of characters to unlock in this one. Mostly based on the comic book versions of the characters, with some from the MCU of course. It was so fun to play some of my favorite lesser-known characters, like the Spider-Man Noir version or the Kronan in the Planet Hulk arena.
The story is an original, with Kang the Conqueror as the main villain of the story. Because he's altering lime-lines, along with different dimensions, we have a world mixed with different worlds. We have Asgard, Manhattan Noir (a 30s-40s version of New York), Wild West Town, Avenger's Mansion, & many many more. Just like the mall in the movie The Blues Brothers, this place has got everything. It's so much fun jumping around from place to place.
Now the bad. Let's start with the voice acting. There are no famous voices in the game & it shows. Supposedly, the game was made during an actor's strike & so we got what they can get. Now, not saying the voice acting is bad, but it's just so-so. Some voices seem out of place for some characters. Captain America doesn't sound like he should. Doctor Strange doesn't sound like he should. Now, I may be ruined by the actors from the movies, but if you hear them in the game, you'll agree. It has less to do with their live-action counterparts & more of "Yeah, I never pictured Tony Stark sounding like...that."
And now my main complaint. Lots of glitches. Even after the update, I find lots of glitches in the game. The most annoying one is finding one of your characters stuck in a spot, dying over & over in an endless loop, such as falling off a platform to his/her death or stuck on some radioactive material. I found myself more than a few times having to exit the level & start all over due to this happening. Another glitch was in the arena, where Hulk turned himself back to Bruce Banner & would not turn back into the Hulk. Now maybe this was meant to happen, like in the Infinity War movie, when he was scared to turn to the Hulk, but I don't think so. Reason being towards the end of the fight, they have Hulk talking, while he was still as Bruce Banner. Luckily I didn't need Hulk to beat the level, as I would have had to start over. Other glitches include characters switching by themselves & audio cutting out.
This being said, I still want to play this game. While not one of the best Lego games, it's still fun & it's very cool, especially if you're a comic book fan.
<i>Many thanks to the publisher for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review</i>
What can I say about <i>The Red?</i> I honestly don’t know where to begin.
I went into The Red with an open mind and I came out the other end with it even wider. Someone once wrote that you’re not always the same person who opened the front cover at the end of a book and this is by no means untrue in this case.
The Red is the name of an art gallery owned by Mona Lisa St James who promises her mother on her deathbed that she will do anything to save The Red. The definition of anything in this book is carte blanche. Literally, I’m talking a blank white card that gives the holder carte blanche to do anything he wants.
By he – I mean Malcolm. That’s all he’s known as throughout the book – no last name, no contact details and sparse visits.
Mona has got to the point where she must sell The Red – it and she are highly in debt and have no way of keeping it afloat. Until one night in June when a mysterious stranger appears in the gallery without a sound and offers Mona a way to save the gallery – the offer? She must submit to him for a period of one year; he will treat her like his whore for a year and each time they have an assignation she’s paid in art.
Sounds relatively okay, right?
I forgot to mention that each chapter is styled after a specific piece of art – now I’m not an art connoisseur in anyway shape or form, but I sure have a new appreciation for art now. I’m almost positive that the paintings in this book are supposed to be less erotic than what Tiffany has made them but damn.
Having read Tiffany’s books before, I knew what I was in for to a point, but The Red had a nice subtle paranormal twist to it that was particularly fun to read, it kept me guessing all through out trying to work out what the hell was happening with all the spooky hallucination type events, the weird appearances and the odd feeling Mona gets.
Character-wise I couldn’t have pictured two better characters to be in this book – Malcolm was the perfect dominant while Mona had the submissive down mostly though she did have a little bit of a freak out at some points.
The sexual scenes were written like the author has experienced a lot of it herself or at the very least she knows how to write it so well that she makes us think that she has experienced it herself. The entire book was written astoundingly well with a good strong flow and a good strong plot – unique to be sure, for me at least.
There was a wicked twist at the end of the book – totally unexpected but fitting for the painting the chapter is named after – again I wouldn’t have known what the painting was without some serious googling but each and every chapter was perfectly styled with the relevant painting.
Overall, I really, really liked this book. It’s a definite must read for all fans of Tiffany Reisz and all fans of erotica as well.
What can I say about <i>The Red?</i> I honestly don’t know where to begin.
I went into The Red with an open mind and I came out the other end with it even wider. Someone once wrote that you’re not always the same person who opened the front cover at the end of a book and this is by no means untrue in this case.
The Red is the name of an art gallery owned by Mona Lisa St James who promises her mother on her deathbed that she will do anything to save The Red. The definition of anything in this book is carte blanche. Literally, I’m talking a blank white card that gives the holder carte blanche to do anything he wants.
By he – I mean Malcolm. That’s all he’s known as throughout the book – no last name, no contact details and sparse visits.
Mona has got to the point where she must sell The Red – it and she are highly in debt and have no way of keeping it afloat. Until one night in June when a mysterious stranger appears in the gallery without a sound and offers Mona a way to save the gallery – the offer? She must submit to him for a period of one year; he will treat her like his whore for a year and each time they have an assignation she’s paid in art.
Sounds relatively okay, right?
I forgot to mention that each chapter is styled after a specific piece of art – now I’m not an art connoisseur in anyway shape or form, but I sure have a new appreciation for art now. I’m almost positive that the paintings in this book are supposed to be less erotic than what Tiffany has made them but damn.
Having read Tiffany’s books before, I knew what I was in for to a point, but The Red had a nice subtle paranormal twist to it that was particularly fun to read, it kept me guessing all through out trying to work out what the hell was happening with all the spooky hallucination type events, the weird appearances and the odd feeling Mona gets.
Character-wise I couldn’t have pictured two better characters to be in this book – Malcolm was the perfect dominant while Mona had the submissive down mostly though she did have a little bit of a freak out at some points.
The sexual scenes were written like the author has experienced a lot of it herself or at the very least she knows how to write it so well that she makes us think that she has experienced it herself. The entire book was written astoundingly well with a good strong flow and a good strong plot – unique to be sure, for me at least.
There was a wicked twist at the end of the book – totally unexpected but fitting for the painting the chapter is named after – again I wouldn’t have known what the painting was without some serious googling but each and every chapter was perfectly styled with the relevant painting.
Overall, I really, really liked this book. It’s a definite must read for all fans of Tiffany Reisz and all fans of erotica as well.